8/24/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Candied fruit, some spice. Better on the cooler side. Not bad for what it is.

8/15/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Did not decant; wine opened up in the glass. Had a stronger aroma at first, that blew off in a short time. Good fruit and tannins. Has the "typical" Cotes du Rhone flavors that I enjoy.

8/9/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Producer's Website: http://www.agassac.com/
A brief decant. A good value Bordeaux with complexity, darker fruits, some earthiness/smoke and mineral. Medium to Full-bodied. 13% alcohol.

8/7/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Did not decant. Lively, with good fruit, some acidity and pleasant tannins. Medium-bodied. Good CdR qualities. I'd buy it again.

8/2/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Nice, higher end CdR. Spice & fruit. Enjoyable.

7/12/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Possibly the best tasting 2010 Bordeaux at this price (about $24) that I've had, though price does not necessarily guarantee or negate enjoyability. Intense (briefly) fruit up front, then a hint of sandalwood - ? -. Firm finish, but not overly tannic. Worth buying again.

7/10/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Poured through Vinturi wine aerator into wide-mouthed container, let sit for about 30 minutes, then poured back in bottle.
Aroma of fruit, a "typical" Rhone scent. On the palate: red fruit up front, turning dry and tannic on the finish, but not unpleasantly so. Medium to full-bodied. Medium finish. Enjoyable.

7/4/2014 - Sid_Mac wrote:

Upon having several more bottles of this over a 4 or 5 month period, I think this needs more cellar time. The fruit is too muted and over-powered by the tannins. I'm revising my score to 86 for the time being. Maybe in another year I'll re-visit this "value" Gigondas.
Pierre Amadieu lists this wine as "Valeurs Sures" in contrast to their more expensive "Terroirs d'exception" Gigondas.

7/8/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Satisfying. Mild aroma. Nice fruit presence with a slight, almost tart edge. Medium to full-bodied. Medium finish. Quite drinkable. Screwcap is convenient.

7/6/2014 - Sid_Mac wrote:

Website: http://www.domaines-et-chateaux.fr/fr/domaine-de-la-curniere

7/5/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Had this again. Very enjoyable, great fruit and balance. Good QPR for $15.00.

7/3/2014 - Sid_Mac Does not like this wine:

I did not like this wine. Not much fruit noticeable. On the sour and, or tannic side. Medium-bodied. I don't think this was a flawed bottle, no odd aromas.

7/2/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Nice medium to mild-bodied CdR. 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah. A very reasonable 13% Alc. Great for warm days.

7/1/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Nice, inexpensive CdR Villages possessing those typical and desirable qualities of such a wine.

6/30/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Very nice Malbec at a good price. I'll buy it again.

6/22/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Nice for the price. A reasonable 13.5% alcohol.

6/14/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Very good.

6/6/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Decanted. Tasty, tannic but fruit present, sometimes an almost chocolate-like flavor.

6/6/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Did not decant. Nice Rhone character, tasty. $19.99 price is a little high for what you get though.

5/31/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

This bottle was the last of the 2010s.

5/18/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Tasty. Good QPR. Nice Rhone character. Good aroma and flavor.

5/11/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Good Rhone character. Enjoyable, dry finish.

5/4/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Seemed earthier than past vintages. Still a good bargain, no complaints at this price.

5/4/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Had half the bottle on night 1, decanted. Nice, tasty, good. Stored the remainder using the Vacu-Vin. On night 2, the remainder was not very good, all tannin, no fruit, there was definitely a good vacuum present. Usually the Vacu-Vin works well for at least 1 or 2 days of storage. I stored the bottle at cellar temperatures, about 58 - 60 degrees.

5/2/2014 - Sid_Mac wrote:

Decanted half the bottle, saved remainder using the Vacu-Vin. The next day I had the second half of the bottle: had opened up and improved. More fragrant and flavorful. Medium to full-bodied, great mouth-feel. Medium finish. Good Rhone character.

4/27/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Good QPR. No complaints for this price.

4/27/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Still drinking well. Did not decant; wine opened up nicely in my glass.
Good Rhone character. A famous wine magazine says drink by 2012, however, the Mordoree website states this can be enjoyed up to 2016. This bottle was quite tasty, not "old" at all, but probably mature.

4/18/2014 - Sid_Mac wrote:

For a 2010 Rhone, this should have had more to it in flavor, body, aroma, etc. Certainly drinkable, nothing objectionable. There are better values in 2010 Rhones.

4/13/2014 - Sid_Mac wrote:

This can't be the same wine that the Wine Spectator reviewer was given to rate.

3/29/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Very tasty!

3/28/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

I enjoyed this bottle more than the one from last month. I developed a better appreciation of it. Decanted for 1+ hour(s). Nice fragrance, good level of fruit, firm, dry finish of medium-length.

3/26/2014 - Sid_Mac wrote:

Interesting in as much as it's an "Italian Bordeaux": 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cab Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Not sure it all came together for me though. It had a rough edge on the finish. Some fruit, tannin, herb? On the plus side, it has more flavor and complexity than some inexpensive Bordeaux I've had.

3/21/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Dry, medium-bodied, a little pepper/spice, dark berry. Opened up with air exposure.

3/14/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Very good. Nice complexity.

3/13/2014 - Sid_Mac Does not like this wine:

Not as tasty as the 2011. Light-bodied. Not enough fruit to offset the tannins, nothing else redeemed this wine.

2/23/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Still enjoying this wine. Consistently good from bottle to bottle. Good QPR wine. Great for a Sunday night or week night.

2/21/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Became tasty after some exposure to air. Recommend decanting.

2/7/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Delicious. Full-bodied. Great fruit, some spice. Intense. Has a real presence in the mouth.

2/6/2014 - Sid_Mac wrote:

Picked up more bramble than cassis and black cherry. Thin at times. OK to drink once, no re-purchase.

1/17/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Decanted, this wine still remained tight and concentrated. Some peppery tastes, berry, tannic. Overall enjoyable.

1/16/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Did not decant. Not bad for the actual price I paid: about $13 (I had a coupon). The square bottle is either cool or gimmicky, depending on one's viewpoint.I liked this Cab, but would not buy at full-price.

1/4/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Decanted. Starts juicy, finishes a bit tannic. No bitterness. Nice fruit. Medium-bodied. Enjoyable.

1/2/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Web: http://www.catenawines.com/eng/wines/catena/catena-mb-2011.html

Wow! Decanted. This Malbec remained consistently good throughout the evening. Great intensity with balance and structure. Nice fruit, appropriate tannins. Delicious! Deep purple.

12/31/2013 - Sid_Mac wrote:

OK.

1/1/2014 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Good, but I was a little disappointed; expected more from a 2005 Bordeaux. Not as complex as I had expected.

12/29/2013 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Works well with food, but can be enjoyed by itself. Good Chianti acidity, fruitiness, medium-bodied. Lighter-colored. Did not decant.

12/27/2013 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

65% Merlot, 35% Cab Sauv. Nice inexpensive Bordeaux. Dark berries, balanced by tannins. Medium-bodied. Enjoyable.

12/25/2013 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Nice French Pinot Noir.

12/24/2013 - Sid_Mac Likes this wine:

Decanted about an hour prior to serving. Well-structured. Berry, some oak, balanced tannins and acidity. A decent amount of complexity for this price range. Enjoyable!

12/23/2013 - Sid_Mac wrote:

Decanted for an hour prior to serving. An OK Rioja, some sour cherry, but I noticed the tannins more. Perhaps needs more cellar time.